Anyone released an Album of Original Songs before?

[KILLBEAR]

Has anyone on songcrafters ever released an album, whether through traditional channels or as an independent utilizing Amazon's Createspace methods or CD BABY, etc?

Just curious about your experience with it and what recording setup you used to make it... Distribution channels and the like...

Anybody use Boss Recorders to release an album, Home studio, or did you go through a traditional studio arrangement.

Just a share your experience...pros & cons... what you would repeat or never do again 

-KILLBEAR

[Rata-tat-tat]

I have not personally released any material for sale. Here's one thread that you might want to take a gander at... I'm sure there are many more on here. "Bosko Schwartz" comes to mind as one of the guys who used to frequent here often a few years back. Haven't seen him here for quite some time.

https://songcrafters.org/community/index.php?topic=8443.0

[Hook]

I perform kids music for a living and released my 1st cd through this company http://www.distrophonix.com/distribution/. It was very easy,they handle all the logistics with getting it on itunes, amazon and a bunch of other online retailers. They do not work with cd baby and they only handle digital downloads,  no physical cd's.They take a small percentage of each sale. If you sell a certain amount you get paid immediately if you don't reach that # you get paid like every 6 months. I get a check for like $6 every now & then. If you were hustling a fan base and really pushing it you might get some sales. It was like a $75 investment so it's certainly worth a try. I spoke with a local artist here that was having some luck with cd baby but I can't comment on them.
 I'm with 64 on the whole music sharing idea. I support my family by performing & I doubt very much that will change without some very large entity getting behind me and funding the effort. I would rather people have my music to enjoy and perhaps they will come to see me or book me to perform! As far as my music here, I'm happy to share and have hopes to make it even easier to get my tunes!
I am very interested in how you actually release a cd for say..reviews or for Grammy consideration and such. Is that through BMI & ASCAP? I heard a news report about amateur musicians working this sitehttp://www.grammy365.com/ for like 6 months full time trying to get a nomination. I would like to know the secret to success if any of you have it!

[HarmonicDistortion]

Not trying to hi-jack the thread.  Sadly I have no wisdom to offer, so I'll just spew out my own grumblings about the scene....

Funny how the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Years back it cost tons of money to produce a demo that would be decent enough to shop around to the A&R guys at major labels. (if you were lucky enough to get a listen at all)  So you needed to make damn sure you had the chops to make the investment worthwhile.  You hit the road, played every dive that would let you, lived in your beat-up van, stole the cocktail waitresses tips, and ate ketchup sandwiches for years until you had something you believed in, and some kind of fan-base.  You worked with any sleaze-bag "agent" or promoter, who claimed they could get a "showcase" with a label.  Anything to get a foot in the door.   If you survived the first decade of "paying yer dues"  and got a deal, distribution, airplay, promotion and recognition were in the bag.  (of course you still had to watch the fine print!)

Fast forward 25+ years.

Now the technology allows almost anyone to produce a damn high quality (sonically) product, for next to nothing.   For a few bucks more you can produce a finished product, CD's, digital files, whatever, all in your own home.

The internet has even opened up amazing new avenues of distribution.

But the problem of credibility, recognition and income remain.  Where's the money coming from? Everyone still wants their cut.  And the industry is so saturated with "instant digital Rok-Starz" that it's harder now then ever to build credibility.

The front-end got easier, but the back-end is slammed. 

The internet has made "viral super stars" out of anyone with an ISP, but as Syndrom said: "when everyone is super, no one will be!"

Oh well, still beats workin' for a livin' 

[KILLBEAR]

The front-end got easier, but the back-end is slammed.   

The internet has made "viral super stars" out of anyone with an ISP, but as Syndrom said: "when everyone is super, no one will be!"

I love that quote by Syndrome!!

There's a lot of wisdom in what you're saying... however, the thing I like is that the opportunity to reach the public is now in the artist's hands, where it was in the Buy-N-Large Record Co. before...you may have to compete with every other Tom-Dick-N-Harry out there doing the same, but at least you can be heard...that's where "Quality" will win out... I've seen some success stories that way "Paul Wardingham" and "Andy James" are two guitar players that standout for me. Colbie Calait? also got her start that way and others. It's nice to have the power...now it just matters what you do with the POWER!

-KILLBEAR

[na_th_an]

Never charged for my music.

I have released (for free) several solo albums, and a number of recordings with my band.

Here is our latest effort, released last year:

https://soundcloud.com/scumm-horror-en-la-carpa/sets/horror-en-la-carpa

Recorded at home using a DAW on PC (ACID Pro), using the BR-80 and a Fast-Track Pro as audio interfaces.

Depending on the kind of music you make, you don't need a pro studio anymore. I love lo-fi.

[maxit]

yes, I've released one for year since 2006 - finding out it is a funny and surely committing way to go on with music having a 'target'. I began with a professional studio, and went there alone: now I couldnt suggest it to anyone that is more than experienced. Then I recorded with audacity software at home and before qith tascam 4 track rec, mmm.... wasnt so bad but lacked quality (and, because was just 'home', I didn't spent myself so much in the effort). I used also professional software to do backtracks, like Band In a box: very good but somtimes a bit cold, in my opinion.I finallly found my way in between: my friend Franco, has a professional home studio - and there we record all live. He's also a friend: that makes all work, we play together, very lean and quick, at a good quality I think.
I never tried to sell music (don't think there's any space, as harmonic says - and I've been shown many times), but I earned some money getting songs on the radio. I think if I were younger I'd give it a try: but I'm happy producing good quality (I hope) without having to market 'em. that's my little experience.

[maxit]

one last thing: I've learnt that working in a 'recording studio' way not only makes a different result, but improves your overall musician skills. And not for making money, but for all the rest I could learn, I think that working with a producer would be a big leap: they must for sure know some secrets. While I wait for it to happen, I will pretend I'm myself a producer ;-)

[Puddleglum]

I have released 8 albums and a musical, all original songs on Alonetone, they were crafted as albums (because I like albums) usually with a concept. All of them are different from each other but all have the same, hopefully distinctive, "sound". I released them under two different band names "The Old Grey Wolf Ltd Co" and "The Seven Spiders".

Nearly all the songs were written on an acoustic guitar and then I took the basic chord sequences and rhythms and programmed them with drums and a whole range of instruments. For the most part the only live playing is the vocals. The instrumentals are written on a computer using Sibelius and Fruityloops and a variety of VSTi's and the imagination. I export each individual instrument as a wave file.I mix them down in Magix Audio Studio (the best £50 I ever spent), nothing that fancy just a little EQ, Compression,  Reverb and Delay.

I suppose that without the computer and the internet these albums would just be in my head and that is where they would have stayed, I could probably bash out bad versions of them on my guitar but they capture what I wanted adding the other instruments but what they really need is the splendour of being played live (which I can't do [I don't really play any other instrument] by myself and it would be way to much effort and hard work to try and organise musicians not to mention the costs. So I make do with what I got.

[Rata-tat-tat]

I have released 8 albums and a musical, all original songs on Alonetone, they were crafted as albums (because I like albums) usually with a concept. All of them are different from each other but all have the same, hopefully distinctive, "sound". I released them under two different band names "The Old Grey Wolf Ltd Co" and "The Seven Spiders".

Nearly all the songs were written on an acoustic guitar and then I took the basic chord sequences and rhythms and programmed them with drums and a whole range of instruments. For the most part the only live playing is the vocals. The instrumentals are written on a computer using Sibelius and Fruityloops and a variety of VSTi's and the imagination. I export each individual instrument as a wave file.I mix them down in Magix Audio Studio (the best £50 I ever spent), nothing that fancy just a little EQ, Compression,  Reverb and Delay.

I suppose that without the computer and the internet these albums would just be in my head and that is where they would have stayed, I could probably bash out bad versions of them on my guitar but they capture what I wanted adding the other instruments but what they really need is the splendour of being played live (which I can't do [I don't really play any other instrument] by myself and it would be way to much effort and hard work to try and organise musicians not to mention the costs. So I make do with what I got.

Nothin wrong with that... It's crazy how technology can allow folks to create the sounds they've been hearing in there head.